1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup device for photographing an object. More particularly, the present invention relates to an appearing and disappearing type image pickup device having a lens unit and/or a terminal connection unit that is capable of selectively appearing and disappearing in relation to a main body of the image pickup device in such a way, that the image pickup device can be employed as a multipurpose device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image pickup devices operate to selectively record a desired scene into a recording medium while viewing an image captured by a lens. Camcorders and cameras are representative examples of such devices. Recently, as image pickup devices have been digitalized through the development of electronic technology, conventional analogue cameras and camcorders have been replaced by digital cameras and digital camcorders. In contrast with conventional analogue appliances, such digital camcorders and the like can be further miniaturized and made to exhibit various functions by being connected to a computer.
However, because the image pickup devices introduced up to now have been focused upon an original function of photographing an object in either moving image or still image, they do not make effective use of various other functions. However, digitalized image pickup devices have the potential to be capable of being used as a PDA, game machine, or MP3 player by using an image outputting unit and a memory, which are essential components of the image pickup devices. If a PDA, game machine and/or MP3 player, which are now widely regarded as necessities by the young consumers of today, are further combined with an image pickup device, a product widely desired by the young consumers of today will be satisfied.
In order to allow an image pickup device to be used for other purposes as described above, the image pickup device should have a main body formed having a shape that can be conveniently handled by a user while performing each desired function. However, conventional image pickup devices are problematic in that, because a lens unit projects from a main body, a user cannot use such image pickup devices for other purposes.
Accordingly, a need exists for an image pickup device having a lens unit which is capable of appearing and disappearing in relation to a main body of the image pickup device.